BumbleBee
by sjd0307
Summary: Los Angeles CA, Earth, 2 weeks since Traveler's death. Conditions in the once proud city are harsh. Food is running dry, gangs are forming, and the first Fallen skiffs are roaming the skies above. Glimmer has become the new currency and silver is being forgotten all together. And, the first Risen are o humans and an Exo fight to survive the collapse of humanity.


Bumblebee

A Short-film based in the Destiny universe (script)

Written by Sam Daniels

Los Angeles CA, Earth, 2 weeks since Traveler's death. Conditions in the once proud city are harsh. Food is running dry, gangs are forming, and the first Fallen skiffs are roaming the skies above. Glimmer has become the new currency and silver is being forgotten all together. And, the first Risen are appearing.

(cut to a room with an Exo, a man and a woman. They are in the remains of an apartment, huddled around a fire. The Exo is examining a rifle while the two humans are counting their glimmer.)

Ben: "How much ammo do we have?"

Micah: "9 bullets, all arc laced."

Ben: "Good, that's all we really need. I counted 60 glimmer. It's not a lot but if we go to the market tomorrow, I bet we could get more."

Daisy: "I don't want to go back there."

Ben: "Look it's the only civilized place for miles. I don't like the Clovers any more than you do but they have things we need. Scavenging is getting more and more difficult now a days and I think we need to branch out."

Daisy: "You call that place civilized? Last time we went some guy got shot for not giving up his last batch of supplies! And they charge you a fee to get in if you're not a Clover. That place is a fucking death trap and you know it."

Micah: "I don't think we have a choice Daisy. We are very low on food, and the Clovers control most of the city anyways. The only other way we could find food is, well, mugging other families. And I don't think we have the stomach, let alone the ammo to do that."

Ben: "Let's just go to bed Daisy, we'll talk about it in the morning. Micah, are you okay with- "

Micah: "Yeah, I don't mind. Exos don't really need sleep as much as humans do."

Ben: "Thanks again."

(the humans put out the fire and try to sleep while the Exo guards them. While he's guarding, the two humans whisper to each other.)

Daisy: "Hey, bee?"

Ben: "Yeah?"

Daisy: "Are you excited for your birthday tomorrow?"

Ben: "Sunny, I seriously think that there are better things to worry about than my birthday."

Daisy: "I got you a present."

Ben: "Really? How?"

Daisy: (chuckles) "I got it before this whole apocalypse thing started. I wanted to ship it to you but then the whole transport system fell apart. I managed to grab it before we left in hopes you would come back, and you did. But you'll just have to wait and see what it is until then."

Ben: (chuckles) "gee whiz I hope it's a new ship."

Daisy: "Okay you ungrateful little shit, no present for you." (laughs)

Ben: (chuckles) "Awe, how sweet."

Daisy: "I love you bee."

Ben: "Love you too Sunny."

(they kiss, and Ben turns around again to face the wall)

Daisy: "Bee?"

Ben: (turns back around to face Daisy) "Yeah, what's wrong?"

Daisy: "I, I can't sleep."

(he leans over to Daisy)

Ben: "Sunny, the market isn't that bad. If any of those Clovers touch you, I'll- "

Daisy: "It's not the market. It's my dad."

Ben: "Oh. Sunny, I'm so sorry."

Daisy: (crying softly) "It's like he doesn't even know me anymore. Did I ever tell you why he reset himself?" (long pause) "He worked for Bray tech Ben."

Ben: "Wait, your dad worked at Bray tech?"

Daisy: "How else did you think we could afford Exo models for them? He built custom Exos, and he was pretty good at making them too. So, when he turned 60, Bray tech offered him and my mom new proto type Exo. They gladly accepted their new bodies, but something went wrong. Once my mom's conscience was uploaded to her Exo, she just never woke up. My dad, however, woke up horrified. Once he was out of the facility, he told me of what he saw before he woke up. He had to fight an army everybody he ever knew." (turns over in bed to face Micah) "Sometimes I wonder if my mom lost that battle."

Ben: "Have you heard about the crabs?"

Daisy: "What?"

Ben: "The crabs. That's what I call them at least. There have been a bunch of rumors spreading about all sorts of alien freaks, but these things are everywhere. I ran into a couple of them up north while trying to get here. They got four arms, four eyes, and wear red capes. Other people call them spiders or pirates, but I call them crabs."

Daisy: (chuckles) "I think spiders sounds more fitting than crabs."

Ben: "Whatever. Just saying, if you see anything with four arms, or a ship that looks like a spikey crab shell, stay the hell away from it. They are ruthless. Saw some of them rip the arms off their own kind."

Daisy: "Jesus Christ."

Ben: "Promise me, even if they kill Micah, or me, that you will just keep running."

Daisy: "Alright, I promise."

Ben: "Luckily I haven't seen any of them get near the city. I guess that the Clovers aren't good for nothing."

Daisy: "Yeah, goodnight Ben."

Ben: "Goodnight Daisy, I love you."

At dawn the three head to the market to trade. Two Clovers guard the entrance.

Clover 1: "Are you guys affiliated with the organization?"

Ben: "Nope. We just came here to trade."

Clover 1: "Would you like to join our cause? We could always use new recruits. You would be able to get protection, free food, and free entrance into the market."

Ben: "Thanks for the offer, but we would prefer just to shop."

Clover 2: "Very well then, the entrance fee for outsiders is 50 glimmer."

Micah: "Wait, I thought the entrance fee was 20."

Clover 2: "It was. Now its 50. Pay the price or move along."

Daisy: "Come on, we have to get in here guys." (gives the guards the glimmer)

Clover 2: (smiles) "Enjoy."

They walk into the tent and see the crowd. There are many desperate people trying to sell their goods, but there are few that are looking to buy. The Clovers sometimes "confiscate" certain valuables for their own use. The occasional gunshot is heard, usually from a Clover killing a resisting outsider.

Micah: "I don't think we have much to sell here. This was a bad idea."

Daisy: "If we had walked away, they would have shot us in the back. I've seen it happen before."

Ben: "Maybe we can steal some stuff and run. They won't follow us, they have enough on their plate already."

Micah: "That's a bit risky, don't you think"

Ben: "We can't just leave, we're running too low on supplies and scavenging is getting harder and harder. Micah, go steal some food and meds. I'll go try to get better weapons and ammo for the rifle. Daisy watch our backs. If you think any guards might see us, make a scene."

Daisy: "And how would I do that without getting killed?"

Ben: "I don't know, you're the one who took drama class in high school. Break some shit, accuse someone else of stealing, just don't make it too violent."

Daisy: "You are quite the planner bee."

Ben: "Oh quit whining and just go."

(Daisy and Micah depart as we follow Ben's point of view. He spots a weapon's merchant desperately shouting at shoppers to buy his equipment.)

Merchant: "Rifles, knives, ammo, I've got it all! This is the stuff that will save your life people!" (notices Ben) "Hey you! You look like you could use a weapon! What can I get for you?"

Ben: "I'm just browsing. Do you happen to have any Omolon rifle ammo?"

Merchant: "Oh son, I've got everything you need when it comes to ammo." (puts three boxes on the table, labeled with corresponding damage types.) "We've got solar, arc, and void for those who like a little spice in their shot."

Ben: "May I look at the arc bullets?"

Merchant: "Sure, but don't touch the tips. Those sting like a bitch."  
Ben: "Thanks." (picks up the box of arc bullets and pulls one out) "Wow, these are some pretty pure rounds." (touches the tip of the bullet and shocks himself into spilling the box of bullets on the ground. He picks some up and puts them in his sweatshirt, and the others he puts back in the box) "Oh god! I am so sorry sir!"

Merchant: "Did you get all the bullets back?"

Ben: "I think so. Here." (hands the box back to the merchant) "Wow, you weren't kidding about the sting."

Merchant: "Don't sweat it kid, I would check if some shady merchant's bullets were real too. So, you buying?"

Ben: "Nope. Guards at the door upped the entrance fee, I don't got enough glimmer. I'm coming back tomorrow though with more, so don't you worry."

Merchant: "Word brother. Hey." (leans in and whispers) "Want to see something really cool?"

Ben: "uhm, yeah."

(merchant pulls out a shrapnel launcher from under the table.)

Merchant: "I call it, old Betsy."

Ben: "Wait, that looks familiar."

Merchant: "That's because I took it off of a dead spider."

Ben: "You mean those aliens that keep killing people?"

Merchant: "Yeah. I used to live in a ranch out near the country side with my wife. The whole apocalypse thing never really hit us as hard as those in the cities. We were already pretty damn self-sufficient. Then a party of those things came and raided our home. I think I killed their leader, because after I did, they took off. But not before one of them got to her. I practically filleted them with flaming spikes from this beauty of a weapon. I want to show it off, but I know it would get confiscated."

Ben: "Sounds like you got quite the revenge story there."

Merchant: (chuckles) "It sucks that I can only tell a few people. Come back tomorrow kid, I like you."

(The three meet up in the center of the market)

Ben: "Did you get any food?"

Micah: "Yeah, canned beans and peaches. I got some meds too just in case."

Ben: "Alright, lets get out of here before- "

(an explosion is heard outside followed by many gun shots. A guttural cry is heard from the fallen, a sound that is foreign to many.)

Ben: "Get under a table!"

(the three hide as screaming and panic fill the room. A flurry of arc bullets fills the air, clearly alien tech. The screaming and gunshots continue for 20 seconds or so and then a fallen captain shouts something in Eliksni. The fallen search the room when suddenly a loud burst of fire kills two of the now 8 fallen left. Ben peaks from under the table and sees the merchant holding old Betsy.)

Merchant: "Это наша планета, вы, грязные вандалы!"

(he guns down one more fallen before being shot in the throat)

Daisy: (whispering) "oh fuck oh fuck oh god."

(Fallen are still searching the tent for survivors. As one comes right near the table the three are hiding under, a distant fallen screech from outside the tent alerts the rest to check on the problem. More gunshots are heard in the distance and Ben gets up to go grab old Betsy. Daisy grabs his arm.)

Daisy: (whispering) "Are you out of your mind?"

Ben: (whispering) "Someone needs help out there, we can't just leave them to die to the crabs!"

(Ben breaks free, grabs the gun and heads toward the front of the tent. Daisy and Micah follow in pursuit. Ben opens the curtain and finds about 20 fallen trying to kill a hunter. He is a master gunslinger and is holding them off well, until one of the three fallen that were left shoots his ghost. An explosion of light causes a shock wave, bringing the gunslinger to his knees. He lifted his weapon and they stabbed him in the chest with an arc staff.)

Micah: "What are you waiting for do something Ben!"

Ben: "Hey crabs! Is this yours?"

(He kills the three fallen and Micah and Daisy follow him to the guardian, still barely alive. Lexi takes off his helmet.)

Guardian: (coughing) "Well, this isn't good."

Daisy: "Who are you?"

Guardian: (more coughing) "I-, I don't know. A couple of days ago I woke up to see this floating orb thing called a ghost explaining shit to me. Since then I've been picking fights with pretty much every alien I can find, and I've been able to do some pretty useful magic tricks to save my ass here and there."

Micah: "Is he hallucinating?"

Guardian: (coughing) "Hey buddy, if you wanna see this ghost friend of mine, feel free to. He's in about a dozen little pieces scattered on the ground thanks to those fucking fallen." (more coughing)

Ben: "But you'll be okay right? You can come back to life I saw you do it back there."

Guardian: "I don't know kid. I was just born like a week ago. I just wanted to save the most people I could." (coughing) "I don't even have a name."

(Ben looks back at the Clover guards and back at the guardian.)

Ben: "Hold on,"

(Ben goes up to one of the corpses of the guards and picks the green pin off the guard's shirt. He runs back to the guardian and pins it to his chest armor.)

Ben: "What about, Clover. For being our good luck charm."

Guardian: (more violent coughing) "Clover. I like that name." (exhale)

Micah: "Should we loot him?"

Ben: "No. Leave him be. Take whatever you can find off anyone else though."

(Micah and Daisy go and loot the other bodies. Ben closes Clover's eyes shut with his fingers and then joins the others in scavenging.)

(The scene changes back to their old base camp. They are eating a feast complete with strawberries, chicken, beans, and potatoes in celebration of Ben's birthday.)

Micah: "I kind of feel guilty eating all this food considering what we went through to get it."

Daisy: "I don't care. We survived a massacre. We deserve this. To Clover, to living through this apocalypse, but most importantly, to Ben!"

Ben: (awkwardly sitting and eating) "Uhm, thanks."

(Daisy and Micah laugh)

Daisy: "I still have your present bee, if you want to open it right now."

Ben: "Oh Sunny, you didn't have to."

Daisy: "Don't worry about it bee."

(she hands him a small wrapped box covered in dirt. It has a small bloodstain on the side of the wrapping paper. Ben opens the box and the inside is pure and neat. No dirt or blood anywhere. There is a keychain with a coin about the size of a half dollar coin. On the heads side of the coin is an insignia of a bumblebee and on the tails side is a flower. Also, inside the box is a note that says "so that we'll always bee together. from, your sunflower,".)

Daisy: "Well, do you like it?"

Ben: "It's beautiful sunny. It's absolutely beautiful. How did you make this?"

Daisy: "It's a lucky keychain. Made from relic iron and a little something special. I had it imported here before the collapse. I figured now is probably a better time than ever to need lady luck on our side."

(The coin is warm to the touch, and hums when it is held in light. Ben puts the coin and note back in the box and stores it in his pocket. He hugs and kisses Daisy for 10 seconds or so)

Micah: "Ahem."

(Ben stops and turns to Micah)

Micah: "I also have a gift for you Ben." (pulls out a fallen cape. It has a house of devils symbol on the back.) "I picked it off a dead crab or whatever you call them. I thought it looked cool, considering its from one that you killed."

(Ben awkwardly takes the cape and tries it on.)

Ben: "Uh thanks Micah." (puts on the cape and stands up) "How do I look?"

Daisy: "You look like a five-year-old kid playing dress up."

Ben: "Whatever I'm keeping it. Thanks again Micah."

Micah: "You're welcome. It is getting pretty dark out. You two should go to bed."

Ben: "Are you sure you don't want to sleep just once? I'll take watch for tonight if you want."

Micah: "I'll be fine."

Daisy: "Why don't you ever sleep? Who doesn't like sleeping?"

Micah: "Well, we are in an apocalypse after all. Anybody could be trying to slit our throats in our sleep."

Daisy: "True. But you didn't really sleep before the collapse either. I can only remember two nights that you actually went to bed."

Micah: "It's kind of weird. You wouldn't understand."

Ben; "We could try."

Micah: (takes a deep breath and sighs) "I feel like I'm living another man's life. I mean, I know I am. I am an Exo after all. But it's just, the more I think about it, it gets under my skin. My earliest memory was waking up in my bed and seeing Daisy for the first time. I was fully grown, spoke perfect English, knew right from wrong and yet I don't remember any way I could have learned those things. But whenever I went to sleep, I could see why. It was nothing too descriptive, I can barely remember them after I wake up, but I remember feeling tremendous loss. All the dreams were the same flash of a life that felt familiar, yet I have no recollection of them when I wake up. Except for that feeling of loss. I try not to think about it. We have enough to worry about, especially now. So, I just stopped sleeping. Its convenient now, seeing as we need to keep one eye open. But yeah."

(Daisy is almost in tears, and Ben is just trying to comfort her. Micah notices this.)

Micah: "Oh dear I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you sad."

Daisy: "No its okay, I'm fine. You don't have to sleep if you don't want to. I'm going to bed."

(Daisy walks over to her sleeping bag.)

Micah: "Is she going to be alright?"

Ben: "Yeah. Sorry about that."

Micah: "Ben?"

Ben: "Yeah?"

Micah: "Please be honest. Do you know who I am?"

(Ben looks nervously at the ground.)

Ben: "If I tell you, you might not be the same."

Micah: "I'm willing to take that chance. It's been bothering me for too long and I- "

Ben: "You're her father Micah."

(Micah stops for a moment. He turns around to look at Daisy, and then looks back at Ben.)

Micah: "Really?"

Ben: "Yeah. She's been really sad about it recently."

(long pause)

Micah: "Hey Ben? Would you mind taking guard duty tonight?"

(Ben smiles)

Ben: "Not at all."

(Ben takes the rifle and heads over to the ledge of the building and the scene ends. Transition to early morning where Ben is woken to the sound of distant screams. He looks through the rifle and sees a family being dragged out of their hide out and shot by fallen.)

Ben: (whispering) "Oh shit."

(The captain sends some shanks to scout out their building. Ben runs over to Micah and Daisy to wake them up.)

Daisy: "Bee? What's wrong?"

Ben: "Crabs are here we gotta go. Grab everything you can carry they're coming up the stairs." (loads hand cannon and gives it to Micah)

Daisy: "How many are there?"

Ben: "I spotted around 7 of them, but there could be more."

(The low hum of an approaching shank sends plunges the three into complete silence. Ben moves towards the door with a brick of rubble in his hands. The shank hovers into the room and looks around. When it spots Micah and Daisey, Ben bashes the drone with the brick, sending it into small blue flames. Down below, a vandal is heard screeching and the captain sends two vandals to clear them out.)

Ben: "Go to the fire escape I'll hold them off."

Daisy: "Are you insane? Just come with us!"

Ben: "If we all go down the fire escape, they'll easily find us and kill us. But if I stay up here with the rifle, I could distract them. It'll be much harder to kill us if we're split up."

(Two vandals make it up the stairs. One aims their gun at Daisy and the other at Ben. Micah fires twice at the vandal aiming for Ben and hits him once. The other vandal shoots and misses. Micah notices this and jumps in front of Daisy as the vandal fires a second shot. Ben shoots the vandal in the neck and runs over to patch up Micah.)

Daisy: "Dad? Are you okay?"

Micah: (clenching stomach in pain) "I'm fine it's just a scratch."

Ben: "Alright change of plans. Micah can stay and watch my back up here. You have to run Daisy."

Daisy: "No, I'm not leaving you here!"

Ben: "You won't have to just go! We'll meet up with you up north, but you have to trust me!"

(a fallen screech is heard in the background)

Ben: "You promised me. Please go."

Daisy: "Just don't die on me."

Ben: "I'll find you up north by the fountain. I swear on my life."

(Daisy picks up a fallen repeater and goes toward the door.)

Daisy: "I love you bee."

(She runs out the fire escape)

Micah: "Why did you lie to her like that?"

Ben: "Same reason you did. She wouldn't have left if we told her the truth. You fit to cover me?"

(Micah takes his hand off his stomach to reach for his hand cannon. He is gut shot but still mostly functional.)

Micah: "I'll cover as long as I can."

(Ben goes to the ledge to pick off the fallen from above while Micah scoots behind him. Ben is able to snipe three vandals and the captain before 4 vandals rush up the stairs and shoot at him. Micah shoots one of the vandals before being barraged with bullets by the others. Ben sees the vandals shoot at him one last time. The flames of the gun's barrel vaguely resembles a sun flower.)

(Once Ben is shot, the screen quickly fades to white. Ben wakes up in the apartment, but everything is different. It's quiet. Where once tall and shaken ruins stood, nothing is left but dust and stone. Birds and wild animals are the only signs of life for miles. Ben looks up at a ghost, still confused and dazed. His ghost looks down at him in amazement.)

Ghost: "Oh my god! I did it! I finally found you!"

Ben: "What? Who are you?"

Ghost: "Oh right. I'm a ghost. I have been looking for you for a very, very long time. I don't know how to say this exactly but, you died a long time ago. But now you're back and, uhh, a lot of stuff has happened since then. Where do I even start. You have just been given powers beyond your imagination. This world is incredibly dangerous and hostile towards the light, and you have been chosen to protect it. You- "

Ben: "Wait a minute. You said I died?"

Ghost: "Umm, yes. But you shouldn't remember anything about it. It doesn't really matter anyway."

Ben: "Do you know who I am?"

Ghost: "You're a guardian. You're my guardian. A guardian of the last city of humanity. Come on, I'll take you there."

(They walk around a bit and find the hand cannon that Micah used. Ben picks it up and checks the magazine. It has 7 out of twelve bullets left.)

Ben: "Hey uh ghost?"

Ghost: "Yes?"

Ben: "Do I have a name?"

Ghost: "Not at the moment. I thought it would be best to let you come up with one."

(Ben feels a small hum from his pockets and decides to check them. In one, he finds 4 arc laced bullets and a couple of paper fragments. In the other, he finds the flower coin. It hums and slightly vibrates in his hand. He hears slight whispers from the coin.)

Ghost: "What's that?"

Ben: "I don't know. I think it's trying to talk to me. It has something written on it."

(Ghost scans the coin.)

Ghost: "It says, 'So that we'll always bee together. From your sunflower.' Must be something from your past. I'm surprised it lasted this long."

(Ben hears the whispers get louder, though they are still faint. They say, "I love you bee," and "I miss you so much,". Ghost hears none of this.)

Ben: "Bumblebee."

Ghost: "What?"

Ben: "That's my new name. Bumblebee."

Ghost: "Oh, wonderful. Bumblebee. I like it."


End file.
